Devon BSJA Junior Academy is launched

Young show jumpers in Somerset, Avon, Devon and Cornwall are invited to the launch of the BSJA Devon Area Junior Academy (11 April). An action-packed programme will include personal fitness training, a contest to design and build a course and a lesson in competition warm-up.

Devon is the third county to establish a BSJA Junior Academy. Last year a pilot Academy in Surrey proved a great success and an Academy has since been established in Region F (Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire).

Academies are open to all BSJA Junior or Junior Associate Members of any standard and aim to provide progressive coaching rather than one-off training sessions using BSJA accredited coaches. By the end of 2007 the BSJA hopes to have at least six academies.

“The Academy will offer high-class, all round training for juniors and their parents, including horse and pony management, sports psychology, and fitness,” said Mandy Frost, BSJA accredited coach and Devon Area representative. “Children are welcome with or without their ponies.

“While many train very regularly, often this is in isolation, and, therefore, the competitiveness and peer pressure which often makes us try harder is missing,” said a BSJA spokesperson.

Log books will be issued at the launch which will contain a personal development plan for each rider as well as information on ponies ridden by each individual, their aims and objectives and records of training goals and competition successes.

A booking form and full details can be found at www.bsjadevon.co.uk

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